Kouichirou Kase was a childhood friend of Ken. He was responsible for sabotaging Ken's beginning football career in a plan that left Ken set on fire. The jealousy and pettiness had not subsided, as when reunited he betrayed Ken again in another attempt to murder him.
Episodes Appeared In[]
- MISSION 4 VERRAT - EXECUTION OF BETRAYAL -
- MISSION 5 SCHICKSAL - FATE OF THE HUNTER - (remembered)
Appearance[]
Personality[]
The only consistency in his traits were seeing what he could get away with such as how believable his “capture” was, whether he could outmanoeuvre his boss Koga, which he did, and whether he could could kill Ken for something he did want, namely a company and crime syndicate and all the popularity and being the best vibes that came with it.
Bizarrely, even though he on the surface appeared to be a best friend, his duplicitous actions prove other wise. After wondering why Ken doesn’t die his final words consisted of him saying he wished he had been a better friend to Ken, that he deserved better.
Story[]
Having known Ken since they were kids, he is happy to see him again after a long time. Kase explains after the incident he quit the J league, thinking Ken was dead, and left Japan for a while with there being nothing for him here. He says it's all his fault for what happened, that he knew about the drugs in Ken’s drink and that he will prove Ken’s innocence. He is seemingly unaware of what his boss is doing when Ken tells him to keep away from him.
When he next meets in a games arcade he expresses shock that Ken was attacked by men last night. He shares with Ken that he knew about Koga form the beginning so for the past two years he has been investigating him for Ken, but neglected to tell Ken as he would be in danger like before. He says he hates Koga and wants to make him confess. He gives Ken an address to Koga whereabouts.
When Ken arrives Kase is already present having killed Koga himself via poison. He mocks Ken saying he never learns, that he has fallen for it again. Kase reveals it was his idea to put the drugs in Kens drink as part of the gambling ring behind soccer all those years ago, then arranged for a staged abduction as part of a plan to get rid of Ken as he had served his purpose and thought he wouldn’t want Ken around anymore.
Kase has used Ken once again, this time intending to frame Ken for murdering Koga, whilst Kase assumes his leadership position in the Creepers gang. He notes Ken as a good friend but only in that he has perfect timing and the ways he can be used. Kase notes he himself was nothing in the J-league but now he is the primary stockowner of a major corporation, and the boss of a huge crime organisation. Stating that Ken as his friend should be happy for him, Kase proceeds to shoot Ken in the chest. He says he’ll see him in hell before firing multiple times saying he doesn’t need him anymore.
At night Kase admires his new building, before seeing Ken at the top of the stairway, his guards abandon him after seeing a previously believed dead foe appear alive, and a shaking Kase falls to his knees in apology. He admits the fault is his, that he was jealous of him. For all his tearfulness and pleas, Kase draws a gun again and ecstatically shoots Ken, who has little recourse to kill him as the leader of the Creepers, and as a serial backstabber pretending to be a best friend.
Mortally wounded as he lays on the ground, he asks why Ken doesn’t die, in this case a bullet proof vest was the reason. Kase's final words were a wish he could have been a better friend to Ken, that he deserves better, before calmly telling Ken that he would see him in hell.